Back in September, when this writer was the fresh faced, newly installed Lincoln City Correspondent on Give Me Football, the official website of the Professional Footballers Association an article was published for the then forthcoming home fixture against Barnet. Here is an extract;-
“Barnet are the visitors to Sincil Bank this weekend and whilst it would be far too premature to think of this game as a make or break moment, a win would go a long way to dispel the fear that is starting to creep in to a lot of supporters minds.
For those unfamiliar with the goings on at Lincoln City, they were the first club to be automatically relegated from the league, only to bounce back at the first time of asking, a feat that few fans would be expecting if that particular nightmare should come true again, so Imps fans could perhaps be forgiven if they seem to be unduly panic stricken at the prospect of a lowly league position, even at this early stage of the season.”
For the first and, come to think of it the only time, a critical supporter commented on the website that the Lincoln City Correspondent had no idea what he was talking about, no one was in a panic, everything in the garden was lovely and we should all get behind the team and all will be well.
Twenty days later, Chris Sutton was no more, which you may judge a good or bad thing and several months later if there a single one amongst us who is not panicking we would like to meet them because from where we are standing on the roof of Mad Towers, Imps fans are in complete turmoil as to the teams prospects particularly after Mondays “Three points? No problem, would you like them gift wrapped?” performance. After the previously reported, we’re in a false position but it’s all your fault anyway attitude, who knows if the team Steve Tilson manages to put out to face Oxford have it within themselves to haul themselves over the finish line. Amazingly after the run the team has been on it is still possible to escape the drop whatever the opposition do by their own actions.
All this is not to suggest that there was absolutely no merit in Mondays game because there was and this is what made it worse. If there was a poorer side in opposition this season this correspondent didn’t see them and the Imps gave them the run around but, once again, no goal to show for it and once Cheltenham got one City’s resolve collapsed quicker than that blokes soufflé on Great British Menu the other night. Here at the Mad House we wouldn’t normally dare to disagree with our Lincolnshire Echo reporter but to heap praise on our midfield after that debacle doesn’t quite ring true. At least Keith Alexander’s sides knew they were bypassing midfield, on Monday they were simply AWOL. One hesitates to say it but a comment was overheard that a certain player didn’t even look like a proper footballer. We haven’t got any managers sons in the ranks have we?
What worse final away opponents could there be than Oxford? Well, to be honest there are worse but Oxford has traditionally been a bit of a graveyard, apart from when the U’s were spiralling out of the league themselves and of course they put on a show of such ineptitude at Sincil Bank they are bound to want to put the record straight on home turf.
It’s a little bit scary to look back and find one had an inkling it might all go pear shaped but in reality this situation has been brewing for some time, in fact, for this correspondent you can go right back to when the team were sitting pretty on top of league two and a little more investment might have seen the team promoted. As it is it’s been downhill ever since and those in charge of such matters must ask themselves if the right direction has been taken. For the moment let us sincerely hope that the direction is no further downwards in the next two weeks.